Puzzle game



Nov. 6, 1951 J. w. SULLIVAN 2,574,158

PUZZLE GAME Filed July 12, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 1775.1. Fad- IN V EN TOR.

1951 J. w. SULLIVAN 2,574,158

PUZZLE GAME Filed July 12, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 El Y TEE-YE BEE) IN V EN TOR.

4 BY z/o/wv M 5044/ vmv 7fzemwamwz Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUZZLE GAME John W. Sullivan, Lake Charles, La.

Application- July 12, 1949, Serial No. 104,265

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to puzzle games, and more particularly to a game including a three dimensional or block-type puzzle.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a puzzle game particularly adapted for children, and to provide a game based on the familiar nursery rhyme concerning an egg falling from a wall and beingv broken beyond repair, which game includes a puzzle in the form of a simulated egg, having a number of inter-locking pieces, one of which comprises a key piece and carries a projecting trigger piece or pinwhich is efiective to release the other pieces, so that the assembled puzzle will fall: apart when the trigger piece is impacted by thepuzzle falling onto a hard, generally horizontal surface, in which some of the piecesare weighted so that the puzzle will have a definite tendencyto fall ina direction to impact the trigger piece on the base surface, in which the several pieces are so shaped that the puzzle can be assembled only in apredetermined manner and with a moderate degree of diificulty, which puzzle makes an interesting toy and is extremely attractive to children, has a marked educational value in teaching. children manual dexterity and developing the ability to solve mechanical problems, and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become: apparent from a consideration of the following de-' scription and the appended claimsin conjunction With the accompanying drawings-wherein:-

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of: two pieces con-= stituting the puzzle game, the puzzle assembly being shown supported. on a base: simulatingua wall;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the puzzle piece illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the two pieces il: lustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the opposite side of the puzzle piece from that illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top plan-view of the puzzlepiece;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the puzzle-piece with one of the pieces, constituting a key piece, removed;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of'the key piece;

Figure 8 is a perspective view' of one of.;the pieces interlockingly associated with the key piece. when the puzzle is assembled; I

Figure 9- is a, perspective view of a second piece interlockingly associated with the keypiece when the puzzleis assembled; o I

F gure 10 is a view o -the end piece obnositelthe 2 end constituted by the three pieces shown in Fig-- ures '7, 8 and 9;

Figure 11 is aperspective view of the end piece shown in Figure lflwith the end piece in a different rotational position from that illustrated in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an intermediate piece interlockingly associated between the end piece shown in Figures 10 and 11 and the three pieces shown in Figures 7, Sand 9;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of an intermedi ate piece interlockingly associated between the piece shown in Figure 12 and the end pieceshown inFigures 10 and 11;

Figure: 14 isa perspective view of an intermediate piece interlockingly associated between the piece shown in- Figure 9 and the end piece shown in Figures 10 and 11;

Figure 1515 a perspective view of a piece-interlockingly associated betweenthepiece illustrated in Figure 14 and the'end piece illustrated in Figures l0 and 11; and

Figure 16 is a perspective view ofv an intermedi ate piece interlockingly associated between the piece illustrated in Figure 9 and the two pieces illustrated in'Figures l2 and 13.

With continued reference to the drawings, the game-apparatus comprises a base A, formed: and decorated to simulate a portion of a wall, and a playing piece or puzzle B, formed to simulate an egg. The base A. may beformedof any suitable material, such as wood, and may be made hollow or solid, as may be desired.

The playing piece or puzzle B is preferably solid and is formed of a number of mutually-interlockingpieces which-may be made from any suitable material, such aswood.

In the puzzle illustrated there are nine separate pieces which are consecutively lettered in the drawings from a toi inclusive.

The piece 2' is the base end piece-of the puzzle and has a partly ovoidouter surface l0 provided at the outer end of the piece with a flattened area I I which provides a seat for maintaining the game piece B in upright position on the top flat 7 surface of the game piece A, as illustrated in Figures 1 and'3. The puzzle end piece 2' includes a body portion and astem 12; preferably of rectangular cross-section, extending from: the body portion substantiallyperpendicular to the flattened area H, and provided on its end opposite the fiattened area H with a beveled, rectangular head I3; Surrounding the: stem i2 and within the. partly ovoid. surface it thepiece it is providedwitlr a formation comprising-v a' number.

of substantially plane surfaces disposed at various angles to each other to provide a sharpedged ridge M, a truncated tongue at one side of the ridge, a pyramidal recess |6 at the opposite side of the ridge, a V-shaped recess between the tongue l5 and the adjacent portion of the end piece with a notch l8 at the outer end of this recess, and a plane surface I9 between the recesses I1 and i6 which planesurface is substantially in the plane of one side of the rectangular tongue l2. At the opposite side of the tongue l5 from the ridge M the end piece 1' is provided with an inclined surface 20 and with an outwardlyextending, beveled ridge 2| at the end of this surface remote from the flattened area IL This end piece further has a plane surface 22 at the end of surface 20 remote from tongue |5,-which surface 22 is disposed substantially at right angles to the surface 20, and at the intersection of the edge of the surface 22 remote from the surface 20 and the partly-ovoid surface ID, the piece 1 is provided with an outwardly-projecting, pyramidal tongue 23. This tongue 23 is adjacent the recess l6 and a plane surface 24 extends from the surface of ridge |4 adjacent recess |6 across the bottom of recess l6 to tongue 23, the surface 24 being disposed at an obtuse angle to the adjacent surface of the ridge l4.

The part h has a partlyovoid, external surface and is provided, on its inner side, with a ridged tongue 24' which fits closely into the recess l6 of the end piece 2'. Below the ridge 24' the piece h has a surface 25 which'abuts the surface 24 of end piece i, and one side of the ridge 24 disposed at substantially right angles to the surface 25 contacts the side of ridge H of end piece 1' adjacent the recess l6, so that the intermediate piece h fills the space in end piece i between ridge 4 and the base of tongue 23 and extends the surface of the piece 1'. The piece It is provided with a surface 26 which contacts the adjacent side of the stem I2 and constitutes one side of a substantially rectangular extension 21 on the upper end of the piece h. Adjacent the extension 21 the piece h is provided with a step 28 and a notch 29 adjacent the step with an outer, substantially rectangular, extension 30 separated from the notch'bya surface 3| disposed somewhat below the step 28 and the end of the extension 30. Between the extensions 21 and 30 the piece h is provided with 'an inclined surface 32.

When the piece h is assembled with the piece i with the ridge 24' of the piece it in the recess l6 of the piece 1, the partly-ovoid surface of the piece It constitutes a continuation ofthe partlyovoid surface of the piece 1', and the piece e may now be placed in position on the: assembled pieces 1' and h.

The piece e has a'partly-ovoid outer surface, and has inner plane surfaces 33 and 34 which intersect each other at a large obtuse angle, and intersect the outer surface around the bottom end of the piece in a substantially sharp edge 35 provided at the intersection of the two surfaces 33 and 34 with a triangular notch 36 which re ceives the tongue 23 on piece 1'. The piece e is placed on the pieces 1 and h so that the notch 36 receives the tongue 23, the surface 34 of piece e contacts the surface22 of piece'z', and the surface 33 of piece e contacts, the surface of piece h opposite the inclined surface 32 illustrated in Figure 15.

The piece e has thereon a projection 31 which extends through the notch 29 in piece h and is provided, at its inner end, with ashouldenifl engaging behind the extension 30 on piece h to interlock the piece 6 with the piece h. At its side opposite the extension 31 the piece e is provided, in its upper end, with a recess 39 providing an outwardly-extending, dove-tailed tongue 40 which interlocks with a subsequently positioned piece of the puzzle.

The piece d may now be assembled with the pre-assembled pieces 1, hand a. This piece d also has a partly-ovoid, outer surface, and has, along its bottom end, a plane surface 4| which contacts the surface 2|! on the part i, and has, at the upper edge of this surface 4|, an elongated recess 42 which receives the tongue 2| on the part 1'. At its lower end the part d has a small, longitudinally-extending tongue 43 which engages behind the tongue |5 on the part i to lock the bottom end of the part d to the part i, and has, at its upper end, an upwardly-extending, dovetailed tongue 44 which provides a continuation of the tongue 40 on part c when the four abovementioned parts are assembled together. At the inner side of the tongue 44 the part d is provided with an angular recess 45 which receives one corner of the stem l2 of part i, which recess 45 extends to one side of the recess 42. Around the tongue 44 the part d is provided with a plane surface 46 which engages a complementary surface of a piece-subsequently assembled.

The next piece to be assembled is the piece 0. 'Ihisis a long, relatively narrow piece, having a partly-ovoid, outer surface, and having a plane surface "which rests upon the side of the ridge ll of 'part i adjacent the tongue l5 of this piece. This piece 9 is provided with a plane surface 43 opposite, andsubstantially parallel to the surface 41, and is provided, on its inner edge, at one end, with a tongue 49 which engages behind the tongue 43 of the part (1 and interlocks with the portion of the part i at the inner side of the notch l8 which receives the tongue 43 of the part d. Intermediate its length the piece 9 is provided with an extension 50 which partly fills the triangular space'between the part h and'the portion of the part i at the inner side of the notch l1, leaving a pyramidal opening adjacent the stem 2 and pointed downwardly. At its end opposite the extension 50 the piece a is provided with a tongue 5| which contacts the inclined surface 32 of part h and engages behind the outer extension 3|! of this part, so that both ends of the part :1 are interlocked with the assembly.

The next piece to be assembled is the piece I. This is a somewhat triangular-shaped piece having a partly-ovoid, outer surface and three major inner surfaces 52, 53 and 54. The two surfaces 52 and 53 intersect each other at a large, obtuse angle, and the surface 54 intersects the two surfaces 52 and 53 substantially perpendicularly. A pyramidal tongue 55 extends outwardly and downwardly from the upper edge of the surface 53 adjacent its intersection with the surface 52, which tongue is received in the triangular recess left between the pieces g, h and i, described above. The piece I has, in its top surface 54, a recess 56 along the intersection of this surface with the partly-ovoid, outer surface of the pieceyand has projecting from the surface 54, at the base of the tongue 55, a truncated, pyramidal extension 51 which interlocks with the surface of the tongue or extension 21 on the piece h, remote from the stem l2, and also contacts the surface 33 of the piece e between the tongue 31 and the intersection between the surfaces 33 and 34 of the piece e. The surface 54, at the innerside of the recess 56,

is in two planes which tersect each'cther at a large, obtuse angle near the mid-width location A of the piece, and a tapered recess 58 is provided in the piece between the upper edge of the surface 52 and then-adjacent edgeof the portion 519 of the top surface 54.

The next piece to be assembled is g This is one of the three pieces constituting the smallerlor upper end of the egg-shaped body 33, and has apartly-ovoid, outer suriace. The piece b has a bottom end provided with a recess 59 which receives the singularly-disposed portions of the surface 54 of the piece f, and an elongated tongue 6! received in the elongated recess 58 of the piece 1. In its inner face this piece 12 is provided with a recess 62 which receives one corner of the head [3 of the stem 12, and with another recess 63 which bears upon the extension 51 of the piece 1. Above the bottom end, the piece I) is provided with plane surfaces 64 and "55 disposed at an obtuse angle to each other, and a beveled recess 66 is provided in the surface 64 for a purpose to be later described, while a semi-cylindrical recess 61 extends transversely ofthe surface 65 adjacent the mid-height location-oi the piece.

The next piece to be assembled is the piece 0, which constitutes another of the three, upperend pieces of the puzzle. This piece 0 also has a part1y-ovo-id, outer surface, and has, in its bottom end, a large recess 68 which receives the projecting upper portion 49 of the piece e and has, at each side of this recess, depending extensions 69 and 10 which fit into the depressions at the opposite sides of the portion 40 of the piece e. The extension 69 is provided with a beveled recess H which receives a dovetailed locking tongue 40 of piece e, and the piece c has, above its bottom end, two plane surfaces 12 and 13 disposed at an obtuse angle to each other. A recess 14 is provided in the piece 0 at the intersection of the surfaces 72 and 13, and substantially at the mid-height location of the piece to receive a portion of the head 13 of the stem 12, and a semi-cylindrical recess 15 is provided in the surface 12. The semicylindrical recesses 67 and i5 of the pieces b and a, respectively, are complementary when the two pieces are assembled in the above-indicated manner and provide a cylindrical aperture through these two pieces extending from the top of the head l3 of the stem [2 to the exterior of the puzzle body B. The piece 0 is provided, in the surface 13, with a beveled recess 16 which is spaced from, and substantially parallel to the beveled recess 66 in piece 17 when the pieces I) and c are assembled, as illustrated in Figure 6.

The last piece to be assembled is the key piece a, particularly illustrated in Figure '7. This is the third end piece constituting the small or upper end of the egg-shaped puzzle body B, and has a partly-ovoid outer surface. This piece a has a slightly concave bottom surface '11 which rests on the upper end portion 39 of the piece e, and the upper end surface 46 of the piece d, the piece a being provided, immediately above the surface H, with a beveled recess 18 which receives the beveled extensions or looking dogs 49 and 44 of the pieces e and d, respectively. Above the recess 18 the piece a is provided with .a smaller, beveled recess 19 which receives the remaining portion of the head l3 not received in the pieces I) and c, and has two plane, inner surfaces 80 and SI disposed at an obtuse angle to each other. A tongue 82 is provided on the surface 80 and is received in the recess 16 in part the piece :1).

c, and a similar tongue 83 is provided on thes'urface ti and is received in the recess 65 of the part b, .so that when the part a assembled with the two parts 1) and c, the parts b and'carelocked together in the assembly. A pin 811 extendsfrom the part a at the intersection of the surfacesxflfl and 8| and immediately above the head-receiving recess I9 to extend through the aperture provided by the recesses 61 and .15 in the pieces b and c, This pin is longer than the thickness of the recessed portions of the pieces b and 0, so that it projects beyond the outer surface of the assembled puzzle body B at the side of the puzzle body opposite the key piece a, and provides a striking nose for freeing the key. piece a from the pieces I) and 0 when the assembled puzzle body falls upon the end of this pin. An annular locking ridge or ring 85 is provided around the pin 34 adjacent the piece a; and the two pieces b and c are provided with substantially semi-circular grooves 86 and 8? respectively in the respectiue recesses .67 and "15 which receive .zthe ridge 5 whenthe pieces I) and c areassembled. The ridge B5 and grooves 85 and 81 provide :a lock between pin $4 and the puzzle pieces I) and c to releasablt hold the pieces a, b and 0 together against accidental dis-association, this locking means being released by a sharp blowon, the outer end, of pin 84 as would occur it the body 28 were to fall and strike the outer 'endof the pin against a receiving surface. The pieces 1) and c are suitably weighted, so that the assembled puzzle body will always have a tendency to fall in a manner to strike the outer end of the pin 84 on a receiving surface, such as a table or floor.

The various parts of the puzzle are so interlocked that, as soon as the key piece a is removed from the pieces I) and c, all of the pieces of the puzzle will immediately fall apart. The various pieces cannot be assembled, however, except in a predetermined manner, such as that described above.

In carrying out the game, the egg-shaped puzzle body is set on its base end on the top of the supporting base A with the flattened area I I resting on the top of the base. The puzzle body B is then tipped forwardly until it falls from the top of the base A upon the end of the pin or nose 84, whereupon all of the pieces of the assembled puzzle body B fall apart. The next step in the game is to re-assemble the several parts of the puzzle body and in doing this, a child will not only develop manual dexterity, but will receive mechanical training from observing the various shapes of the several pieces of the puzzle body and the manner in which these pieces interfit and lock together.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A puzzle body comprising a plurality of separable pieces each of which has a partly-ovoid outer surface, the outer surfaces of the separable pieces being complementary so that when all of the pieces are assembled together the body has the general shape of an egg, said pieces including a base end piece, three mutually interlocking upper end pieces, and intermediate pieces between said base end piece and said three upper end pieces, one of said upper end pieces comprising a key piece which, when removed from interlocking association with the two remaining upper end pieces, frees said two remaining upper end pieces and said intermediate pieces for separation from each other and from said base end piece, and said base end piece having an upright stem with an enlarged head thereon interfittingly received in appropriately shaped portions of said intermediate portions and said three upper pieces.

2. A puzzle body comprising a plurality of separable pieces each of which has a partly ovoid surface so that the body produced when all of said pieces are assembled together has an ovoid shape, said pieces including a base piece having a headed stem thereon, a first group of pieces arranged around said stem and engaging each other and said base piece, and a second group of three pieces also arranged around said stem and the head thereof and engaging the latter and the pieces of said first group, the pieces of said second group being mutually interlocking and interfitting with said stem and interlocking with the pieces of said first group to hold the latter in interlocking engagement with said base piece, said stem holding the mutually interlocked pieces of said second cesses in their abutting surfaces extending to the group in position relative to the pieces of said first group and said base piece, two of the pieces ovoid surfaces and providing an opening to the outside of said body, and a pin on the third piece of said second group projecting through said opening and effective whensubjected to pressure on its distal end to move said third piece out of interlocking engagement with the other two pieces of said second group and thereby disorganize said second group and free all of said pieces for separation.

JOHN W. SULLIVAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 121,936 Fisher Dec. 19, 1871 766,444 Hoy Aug. 2. 1904 1,071,358 Matthews Aug. 26, 1913 1,546,024 Reichenbach July 14, 1925 2,178,190 Steinhardt Oct. 31, 1939 ,398,011 Kaplan Apr. 9, 1946 2,433,540 Wright Dec. 30, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 482,946 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1938 

